A Way Back to Your Heart
by Kate Rosen
Summary: Sequel to Truth Hurts
1. Far and Away

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** So, here it is, the highly anticipated (I hope...) sequel. Don't be discouraged if it starts out slow; they'll be plenty of action later on; trust me.  
  
Just a disclaimer...I don't know anything about Africa or the Congo or what kind of names the people have there, so I kind of made them up. I don't know what cities have airports or whatever, I just tried to use what I remember from the Congo episodes. It's a fictional story about a fictional show...get over it.  
  
Chapter 1: Far and Away  
  
As Abby stepped off the plane and walked through the airport in Kinshasa, she found herself wishing she had more eyes to take in her surroundings. It was unlike any place she'd ever been. Even in the airport, there was such a sense of culture. Off in a far corner, a group of people were clapping and singing. She spotted the nation's flag everywhere.  
  
She peered out the large picture window. The landscape was magnificent. The foliage was unique and extraordinary. She couldn't spot a tree, or even a shrub, that she had seen before. She was swept up in the feeling of being far and away from everything that was familiar. It was a surprisingly comforting feeling.  
  
Slowly she wandered, unhurried and carefree, soaking everything in. This was her first venture outside the US (besides going to Canada as a kid). I was so different, yet so much better than she could have ever possibly imagined.  
  
"Abigail Lockhart?" A voice broke through her misty daydream.  
  
"Yes, well, 'Abby' actually," she responded, "and you are?"  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, 'Guillaume Partier.' Call me Gui," he reached out to shake her hand.  
  
"It's nice to meet you. They said you'd be here to pick me up."  
  
* * *  
  
"So, where are you from?" Abby shouted to Gui over the whir of the engine on the small commuter plane, which would take them to Kisangani. However, she was more interested in talking to the man seated next to Gui.  
  
"Well, actually, I was born here, but I was raised in France, and then I moved back as a teen... " Gui looked up to see that Abby was not at all paying attention to him. Her eyes instead were fixated on the man seated next to him, who was also sharing her gaze. "I also lived on Neptune for a few years..." he continued jokingly, but when she didn't bat an eye, he knew he had lost her completely.  
  
"I'm sorry, where are my manners? Abby, this is—"  
  
"Andrew Thompson," the man answered for himself and reached out his hand.  
  
"Abby Lockhart," she responded, still holding her gaze on him as she shook his hand. His hand was warm and his grip strong, yet gentle at the same time.  
  
Feeling awkward with two people shaking hands across the front of him, Gui offered to go check with the pilot to see how much longer the flight would take. Abby and Andrew didn't even notice his leaving. They simply inched closer to one another to fill the space Gui had left vacant.  
  
Andrew had the bluest eyes that Abby had ever seen. They literally sparkled. They starkly contrasted with his dark curly hair, but they seem to fit him nonetheless.  
  
"I'm from San Francisco, how about you?" Andrew finally broke the silence.  
  
"Chicago."  
  
"Ah, the windy city...It must be a lot different from here."  
  
"Yeah, but it's nice to be someplace warm for a change—even if it is a little oppressive...So, you're a doctor?" Andrew nodded in reply. "What's your specialty?"  
  
"Pediatrics...How about you—doctor or nurse?"  
  
"Well, both actually..."  
  
"Both?"  
  
"It's a long, complicated story..."  
  
* * *  
  
"And here is where we keep our, uh, limited supply of equipment." Gui was in the midst of giving Abby and Andrew a tour of the hospital—if you could call it that—where they would be working.  
  
"Uh, excusez-moi, Gui, could we borrow a doc—Abby?" A female voice interrupted their tour. Abby turned around to see its owner.  
  
"Gillian, right?" she asked as she pointed to the woman. She remembered her from when Luka had come home with malaria.  
  
"Right, what are you doing here?"  
  
"Thought I'd see for myself what all the fuss is about over here."  
  
"Well, as you can see, we can use all the help we can get. Could I steal you away for a sec? Gui, is that okay? We could really use some help..."  
  
"Sure," Gui replied, and Abby waved a quick goodbye to them both as she followed Gillian.  
  
"Where do I start?" Abby asked. She was overwhelmed by the number of people standing about. The waiting area was at least three times as crowded as County on its busiest days, and there were people standing outside as well.  
  
"Anywhere...Grab a doc if something is real serious."  
  
"I am a doctor..."  
  
"Oh...good. Well, start anywhere. No charts to worry about here, and I guess I'll be calling for you if I find anything serious," Gillian smiled as she wandered off to help a patient. Abby stood still for a moment, overwhelmed by the sight before her. Suddenly, she felt a gentle tug on her sleeve. A little girl of about ten looked up at her with wide brown eyes.  
  
"Êtes-vous un docteur {Are you a doctor}?" she asked shyly.  
  
"Oui {Yes}," Abby answered.  
  
"Mon frère est malde {My brother is sick}," she said quietly, as she pointed to her little brother, who was in a corner with a terrible cough.  
  
Abby followed the little girl over to her brother. He was a little frightened of her so she spoke slowly, "Je m'apelle Abby. Je suis un docteur. Quel est ton nom? {My name is Abby. I am a doctor. What is your name?}"  
  
* * *  
  
"So, when did you learn French?" Andrew asked Abby as he walked her to her tent late that night.  
  
"Well, I took it in high school and college. I was pretty good. I almost went to France, but..." she stopped.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing, it's complicated," Abby brushed it off. She didn't want to get into the dynamics of her crazy family life right now. She had just met this guy, and she didn't want to scare him off.  
  
"It seems like a lot of things with you are complicated."  
  
"Well, I'm a complicated girl," she teased. Their banter reminded her of her and Carter's. It seemed so long ago...  
  
"Lucky for me, I like complicated," he replied. Abby blushed at his comment.  
  
"Well, here we are," she stated as they reached her tent. They stood in awkward silence for a moment. Then, Andrew reached out for Abby's hand, brought it to his lips, and kissed it softly.  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow, bright and early. Sweet dreams." His eyes sparkled at her. Abby could have melted.  
  
* * *  
  
That night, Abby lie awake thinking. She thought of Andrew. She thought of Carter. John Carter... Even halfway around the globe, he still had this power over her. She wondered what he was doing. She wondered if he had discovered the truth. She wondered if anyone knew where she was. She wondered if anyone cared. She told herself to stop thinking of negative things. She told herself to focus on the here and now, on the happy things like Andrew and the chance to make a difference here in the Congo. Just as these happy thoughts were about to lull her to sleep, the sound of gunfire awoke her with a start.  
  
* * *  
  
On an airplane some thousands of miles away and over the ocean, John Carter too awoke with a start. 


	2. Across a Crowded Room

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** Sorry I took so long to update. Please forgive a busy girl. I'll try to make the next chapter come more quickly, but no promises. I'm anxious to get to the "good stuff" too. Oh, you all know what I mean...  
  
Disclaimer: This chapter title was stolen, err, borrowed from the Martina McBride song "Blessed."  
  
Chapter 2: Across a Crowded Room  
  
"Gillian... Gillian!" Abby desperately tried to shake Gillian awake. Finally, she heard annoyed grumblings erupt from her throat.  
  
"What is it?" She asked, irritated at having her precious sleep interrupted.  
  
"Did you hear gunfire?"  
  
"What gunfire?" Gillian asked, eyes still closed.  
  
"Listen..." The sound of gunfire was just barely audible.  
  
"It's at least ten miles away. Wake me when it's outside the tent," she groaned as she rolled over and fell back asleep.  
  
At first Abby thought she was kidding, but when she didn't get up and Abby saw that no one else seemed concerned, she slowly crawled back into bed. She lay for a while studying the mosquito netting draped over her bed and wondering what exactly she had gotten herself into.  
  
* * *  
  
Andrew was laughing uncontrollably at Abby's expense.  
  
"What's so funny?" Abby asked.  
  
"You woke Gillian up in the middle of the night because you heard gunfire?"  
  
"Yeah, so?" Andrew continued laughing at her.  
  
"Did she slug you?"  
  
"No, but I wanted to..." Gillian popped her head into the room where Abby was assisting Andrew in suturing a deep gash on a young man's leg. Abby changed from nurse to doctor hourly, depending on which was most needed at the moment. Gillian grabbed something out of a drawer and left smiling.  
  
"Did someone mention to you that there's a war going on over here?"  
  
"Sort of, but I figured..." Abby stammered, not really enjoying being the scared and naïve one in the group. "Excuse me! I grew up in Minnesota. I'm not exactly used to being woken up in the middle of the night by the sound of gunfire."  
  
Noticing the serious tone in her voice, Andrew changed his own. "I'm sorry... It's just that we all have sort of learned to tune it out unless it gets close. Otherwise, the worrying would drive us all crazy and no one would ever come back here..." His voice trailed off. He finished his last stitch and removed his gloves. "Tell him it's finished."  
  
"C'est fini."  
  
"Merci, docteurs," the man thanked them both.  
  
"De rien," Abby replied, following Andrew out.  
  
"You're cute when you speak French," he said with a smirk.  
  
"What, are you trying to butter me up after making fun of me all afternoon?"  
  
"Is it working?"  
  
Abby smiled, but quickly and forcibly tried to make herself look angry. "No, it's not."  
  
"Well, then you leave me no choice."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'll just have to woo you with dancing tonight."  
  
"I cannot be wooed."  
  
"You'll see. No one can resist the Thompson charm, not even the formidable Dr. Lockhart," he teased with a wink.  
  
* * *  
  
Inside the local club and bar, a hang-out for the volunteer medical staff and natives alike, Abby and Andrew sat with a group of fellow volunteers. Andrew and Gillian were introducing Abby and, of course, made sure to tell everyone about Abby's moment of panic the night before. Now Abby had an entire group of people laughing at her, but she took it all in stride.  
  
"Okay, I'm an idiot," Abby admitted. "You can all talk about something else now."  
  
"Awww," a few teased as Andrew took her hand and kissed it sweetly.  
  
"We tease you, because we like you," Gui said from across the table. "If we didn't like you, we would ignore you."  
  
"You're just lucky you've never experienced the real thing—" someone added before abruptly stopping himself. Everyone knocked on the wooden table. Gui shot the man a dirty look. There were a few moments of awkward silence before Gui proposed a toast.  
  
"That she never does experience the real thing," he said while raising his bottle. They all followed suit and took a drink.  
  
"Are you sure I can't get you a beer?" Andrew whispered to Abby, who was the only one without one.  
  
"No thanks," Abby replied quickly. A new song began to play, which was slow and quieted the mood down a bit.  
  
"How about that dance?" Andrew asked, offering his hand. Abby obliged. They slowly made their way to the dance area. Andrew gently took her in his arms, and they began to quietly move together to the music.  
  
"So, what do you think?" Andrew asked.  
  
"I told you I can't be wooed," she said, holding back a smile.  
  
"No," he laughed slightly, "I mean about Kisangani."  
  
"Oh, I don't know. It's a lot to take in...but I'm glad I came."  
  
"Me too," he replied, locking his eyes with hers. He leaned in to kiss her.  
  
Just as Abby was about to close her eyes and kiss Andrew, a familiar face made her step back in shock.  
  
Across the crowded room, the face of John Carter was staring back at her. 


	3. Why Does it Still Hurt?

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** Thanks for all the great feedback. I'm glad the story is being enjoyed, because I am certainly having fun writing it. I'm trying my best to stay true to the characters—well, Abby and Carter anyway. I don't know much about Gillian really, and Andrew and Gui are my own creations that I can play with. Hehehehe... :)  
  
Disclaimer: This title, and the dialogue from the end of my story in which it is contained, was borrowed from one of my favorite TV movies of all time, A Will of Their Own. The romance of the two main characters, and all that they endure and the fact that they still end up together, gives me the hope I need to keep believing that Carby will prevail!!  
  
Well, enough of my ranting. Thanks for listening, and I hope you all enjoy!!  
  
Chapter 3: Why Does it Still Hurt?  
  
Andrew opened his eyes to see what had happened. He thought Abby and he were about to kiss; he had felt it, but something had stopped her. Abby's eyes were transfixed on something or someone across the room. He followed her gaze to the man staring back in her direction. They obviously knew each other. What had he done to her to make her so...what was she? He tried to read her expression. She looked angry, hurt, confused, and a little fearful.  
  
"Abby, what's wrong?" he asked gently. She gave no response. "Who is that?"  
  
"Carter..." she answered almost inaudibly and began to run for the door.  
  
"Carter who? Where are you going? Abby, wait!" He began to run after her, but this "Carter" person was way ahead of him. He seemed to know what she was going to do before she even did it. Before he had a chance to decide whether to follow them or let them go, Gillian reached his side.  
  
"Let them go," she said.  
  
"Who was that?" Andrew asked, confusion painted all over his face.  
  
"John Carter."  
  
* * *  
  
"Abby, wait! Abby!" Carter shouted after her.  
  
Abby couldn't remember a time when she had run this fast. She didn't know where she was going or why exactly she was running so fast; all she knew was that she couldn't get there quickly enough.  
  
Carter was faster, however, and he finally caught up to her. He grabbed at her wrist, hoping to turn her to face him, but all she did was stop dead.  
  
"Abby..." he began.  
  
"Let go," she whispered.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Let go," she repeated more distinctly. Her words were like ice.  
  
He released his grip on her. She didn't move.  
  
"Abby...I...I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry. We need to talk."  
  
Abby didn't even look at him. She began to walk away.  
  
"Abby...Abby!" he shouted, but she didn't acknowledge that he even spoke. He kicked the dirt in disgust and put his head in his hands.  
  
* * *  
  
Gillian entered the sleeping tent and found Abby sitting on her bed. Her back was facing the door.  
  
"You're lucky I was there to stop him..." Gillian began.  
  
"Who?" Abby asked without turning around.  
  
"Andrew. He was about to kick the shit out of John. He didn't even know who he was, but he figured he must have done something pretty awful to you to make you run out like that."  
  
Abby laughed through her sobs, which Gillian hadn't noticed until that moment.  
  
"Abby?" she inquired. Abby turned around to reveal to Gillian her red, swollen eyes and tear-stained cheeks.  
  
"Oh my God," she walked closer to her. "I didn't realize it was like that...I'm sorry...Are you okay?" Abby shrugged her shoulders in reply. "Do you want to talk?"  
  
Abby chuckled. "How long do you have? To explain the saga of John Carter and Abby Lockhart would take a few days at least..."  
  
"Okay...how about the highlights then?"  
  
"Well..." Abby began, "we were dating before he came here. We were having some problems when he came, and, uh, you know that letter you delivered for him?"  
  
"Ouch..."  
  
"Yeah, that was the end."  
  
"Sorry," Gillian apologized.  
  
"Hey, don't shoot the messenger, right?" Gillian smiled. Abby continued. "Well, anyway, you know all about Kem, right?"  
  
"The highlights..."  
  
"Yeah...anyway, we were becoming friends again...slowly, but I found out some, err, news about Kem that, uh, shed some new light on what kind of person she was. I tried to tell him, but..."  
  
"He didn't believe you?"  
  
"Nope," she said before she blew her nose. "But I think he does now."  
  
"So, what are you going to do?" Abby shrugged her shoulders again. "Are you going to talk to him?" Abby said nothing. "He did fly all the way here..."  
  
"So what?" she cut her off, sniffling again and looking away.  
  
"Oh my God..." Gillian said with a smile.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You're still in love with him, aren't you?"  
  
"I can't stand the sight of him..."  
  
"Same difference," she replied with a smile.  
  
Abby started to smile, but she brought a hand to her chest instead and swallowed hard. "God, why does it still hurt this much?"  
  
Gillian was quiet for a moment before she spoke. "Because it's love—and love hurts."  
  
Gillian put her arm around Abby to comfort her, and Abby leaned her head on her shoulder and blinked hard as tears continued to fall.  
  
"—and it sucks, too," she added to make Abby smile. 


	4. The Long Walk

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** I actually came up with the title for this chapter all on my own. Pretty original, huh? Yeah, yeah. I tried to get this chapter out faster than the last one. I think the next couple will be quicker, because it's getting interesting...  
  
Thanks again for the feedback. You all make me feel special. You like me!!! You really like me!! (tear...)  
  
Chapter 4: The Long Walk  
  
"Mind if I have a seat?" Andrew asked a distant Carter. He was distant mentally—lost in thought and seated on the ground in front of the tent that Gilliam and Abby shared.  
  
"Excuse me?" Andrew tried again. Carter looked up. Andrew motioned to the ground next to him. "Mind if I join you?" Carter shook his head in reply.  
  
"'John Carter' is it?" Andrew asked. Carter nodded. "Andrew Thompson," he introduced himself and offered his hand to Carter.  
  
Carter shook it. "Nice to meet you."  
  
The two men sat in awkward silence for a few moments.  
  
"So, waiting for a bus?" Andrew tried to lighten the mood.  
  
Carter smiled. "Gillian instructed me to wait here until further notice. I'm too afraid of what'll happen if I disobey her, so I'm staying put."  
  
Andrew let out a chuckle. "Smart move, I wouldn't want to cross Gillian either... So, Gillian tells me you've known Abby for a while..."  
  
"Yeah, almost," Carter paused to think for moment, "wow, five years now."  
  
"Hmm...How did you meet? If you don't mind my asking..."  
  
"Nope, it's fine," Carter smiled. "It's interesting actually. We met in the hospital where we both work, but we didn't really start talking until she busted me for shooting-up on painkillers at work."  
  
"Really?" Andrew was intrigued and amused.  
  
"Yeah, I was...well, you can probably guess that I was angry with her...but after I got clean, I realized that she really saved my life."  
  
"And you've been clean since then?"  
  
"Yup—and Abby and I have been friends since then...well, friends, then a couple, then apart, then friends...now I don't know what we are...It's so complicated with Abby..."  
  
Andrew laughed at Carter's choice of the word "complicated." "Yeah, I get the feeling that Abby is very complicated..."  
  
Carter nodded, "Yes."  
  
"But I also get the feeling...that she's worth it..."  
  
Carter looked over at Andrew. "Yeah, she is."  
  
The two men suddenly heard footsteps, and they turned around to see Abby approaching. They both stood up, and Andrew shook Carter's hand.  
  
"Good luck," Andrew said.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Andrew walked up to Abby, gave her hand a squeeze and headed off to his own tent. Abby approached Carter slowly and awkwardly, but also with a sense of calm and a newfound sense of open-mindedness. She was tired of "the dance they do" and the fighting. All she wanted to do was talk. She had no expectations or plans, she just wanted to clear the air and start fresh. She hoped Carter felt the same, and when she looked in his eyes, she sensed he did.  
  
"Let's take a walk," she finally said.  
  
"Okay," Carter replied, and they slowly started on their way to nowhere in particular.  
  
* * *  
  
"So I guess you, uh..."  
  
"Found out?" Carter finished for her.  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
Carter nodded. "I should have listened to you. I told you before that I was an idiot. Well, I still am an idiot. Susan and Luka made sure I knew it, too."  
  
"So, Luka figured out where I was?"  
  
"Yeah...Look, Abby..." He stopped and faced her. "I don't want you to think I expect anything. I'm lucky that you're even talking to me. I just came to apologize. I figured I owed you at least that much. I don't expect you to be my friend or even forgive me...I just—"  
  
Abby put a finger to his lips in an attempt to silence him. "It's okay. I forgive you for not believing me. I understand..."  
  
"It's just, there's so much unresolved between us."  
  
"I know."  
  
"But, I think in order to move on, we need to talk about it."  
  
"I don't know if I can..." Abby turned away from Carter.  
  
"I understand..."  
  
"Do you?" she asked, turning around to face him again. "Do you even know what you did? Do you even know how much it hurt?"  
  
Carter stared at her, speechless. "I—" he started, but didn't get to finish.  
  
There was an explosion close by, near the area where the doctors and patients were sleeping. Carter instantly reacted by pushing Abby to the ground and lying on top to protect her. They lie on the ground as still as possible for a moment, straining to hear anything in the silence that followed. Carter slowly began to rise and helped Abby up as well.  
  
"What was that?" Abby asked. Carter opened his mouth to answer, but the sound of gunfire cut him off. "Now, that is close, right?" Abby asked. Carter nodded  
  
"Run," he commanded, and they both began to run.  
  
"Where are we going?" Abby asked.  
  
"There's an old plantation through the woods here," he said as he led her through the thick vegetation.  
  
They continued to run until he heard Abby trip and fall behind him. She wasn't getting up, but she was grabbing her ankle in pain.  
  
"I think it's broken," she said, trying her best to hide her obviously excruciating pain.  
  
Without a word, Carter picked her up off the ground and continued to run through the woods. He wouldn't stop until he knew they were both safe. 


	5. Hard for Me to Say I'm Sorry

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** Okay, they finally talk in this chapter, and boy do they talk. Nice long chapter for you all this time. And, of course, I have to give a shout out to the band Chicago (hey, Chicago, how ironic?), because I used their song in this chapter, and I also named my chapter after it.  
  
Chapter 5: Hard for Me to Say I'm Sorry  
  
"Here we are. I think this is it," Carter stopped and looked around.  
  
"You think?" Abby asked nervously. Her hands were clasped firmly around his neck as she looked around as well.  
  
"Well, either way we're safe. We're far enough away, and I haven't heard any gunfire for a while." He gently put Abby on the ground and began to exam her ankle. He hardly touched it at all, but Abby still winced in pain. "Sorry," he apologized. "It is broken. I'm going to have to set it and wrap it."  
  
"Here?" Abby asked.  
  
Carter gave her a look that said, "What other choice do I have?"  
  
"Okay," Abby gathered her courage. "Just get it over with quick." She closed her eyes and put her arm around a tree for support.  
  
"Ready?" he asked, holding her ankle firmly.  
  
Abby nodded her head. In one swift motion, he set her ankle. Abby tried her best not to scream in pain, but she only succeeded in lowering her voice slightly. It hurt like hell, so she had no choice but to let out some kind of noise.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked.  
  
Abby nodded her head and let out a deep breath. "It feels a little better now, actually, but man...Now I know why they knock people out before they do that."  
  
"Yeah," Carter replied, removing his outer shirt to wrap around her ankle. "I know what you mean...Do remember Lucy?" Abby nodded. "Well, once I dislocated my shoulder and she had to pop it back in for me without any meds. I know how you feel..."  
  
"How did that happen?"  
  
"Well, we were trying to find out where this cock fight was..."  
  
"A what?" Abby asked, starting to laugh.  
  
Carter looked up and, realizing how funny it must sound, he began to laugh as well. "Well, it's a long story. We were trying to find this patient's father, and his friends sent us on a bit of a wild goose chase...It was a long day..." He finished tying up her ankle. "There, all set," he said, admiring his work. He looked up at Abby and they just sort of stared at each other for a minute.  
  
"Now what?" Abby asked, looking around. The seriousness of the situation began to sink in. No one knew where they were, Abby was injured, and neither of them had any way of knowing if it was safe to go back to the hospital.  
  
"Well..." Carter began as he moved to sit on the ground next to her. Their backs were leaning against a large tree. "It doesn't look like we're going anywhere for a while...It'll be dark soon. We might as well continue where we left off with our walk...Well, minus the walking part..."  
  
Abby smiled half-heartedly. "Where were we?"  
  
"I don't think we even really started. I vaguely remember calling myself an idiot..."  
  
"Hmm, that part's kind of fuzzy...Do you think you could refresh my memory?" Abby said slyly.  
  
"Okay," Carter said as he turned to face her. "Abby, I am so incredibly sorry that I was such a dumb bastard, a complete idiot, a moron, a loser, and an awful jerk."  
  
"Now, I don't remember all that..."  
  
"Well, I'm ad-libbing a little here," he added before he turned off his teasing voice and switched to his serious one. "Abby, I'm sorry."  
  
"I still don't understand why..." she said after a minute. The teasing in her voice was gone as well.  
  
"Why, what?" Carter asked sincerely.  
  
"Why did you leave me?" Abby asked.  
  
* * *  
  
Carter took a deep breath and sighed heavily. "It...it was a lot of things...a lot of things at once. It wasn't you—not really. I just...I felt like I was drowning. The sadness over Gamma's death and the responsibility of the foundation and the family and the funeral...They were all weighing me down. It was all piling up, and I felt like I couldn't get out from under it. I couldn't breathe. I didn't know what to deal with first...I turned to you...You were the only thing going right in my life...You were my only anchor, and you left. I know you had to, and I know your brother needed you, but so did I. I needed you, and when you left I felt like I had nothing. Nothing and no one...I'm not saying I blame you. I really don't. I know how much your brother means to you, but I couldn't see that then, or I didn't care. All I knew was that I needed you..."  
  
There was some silence before Abby spoke. "It was the hardest decision that I ever had to make... I hated having to choose between the two of you. It tore me apart...but I chose Eric. My motherly instincts from when we were little kicked in, and I had to protect him. I had to be there for my little brother. Can you understand that?"  
  
"I do now."  
  
Abby continued. "But you left me too. That's what hurts the most really...You promised me that night in my apartment. That night when I found out Eric was bipolar, and he was arrested. You promised me you weren't going anywhere...but you did. You went to Africa even though I didn't want you too."  
  
"I never stopped thinking about you..." Carter continued. "Do you remember when I first came back, and you asked if I thought about you? Well, I did. Especially when...God, I don't think I've told this to anyone. We were here, right here in this spot," he motioned around them. "Gillian, Luka, and I and some other doctors and patients...We had to leave the clinic one night when there was fighting nearby. We stayed a night or so, and we went back. We were about to leave the clinic when some rebels came by. They made us all kneel on the ground. They pointed a gun to my head, because we had treated the enemy. I thought that was it; I thought I was going to die. All I could think about was you. All I could think about was that I would never see your face again..." His voice trailed off.  
  
At this point, both he and Abby had tears in their eyes. He wiped his away and sniffled before he continued, "By some miracle, they spared us. One of the men remembered that I also treated his brother, and he begged the man with the gun not to shoot me...After the rebels were gone we left. I got on a plane that night and headed back to Chicago."  
  
"And you came to see me first?" Abby asked, although she knew the answer. Carter nodded. "And I just threw you out...I didn't even give you a chance to..."  
  
"Hey, hey," Carter turned her chin so she was facing him. "I didn't deserve your time or your forgiveness. I didn't try hard enough to explain. We had coffee. You gave me a chance to talk, and I didn't say anything. I just stood there."  
  
"Well, we're talking now," Abby added. "Our timing sucks, as always, but we're talking now." Abby sniffled, wiped the tears off her face, and yawned. "Oh my God, I'm so tired."  
  
"Here," Carter lifted up his arm so she could lay her head on his chest. He then placed his arm over her protectively. Abby felt so safe in his arms, but she still needed him to say it out loud, like he did for her before.  
  
"Tell me we're going to be okay." She spoke into the soft cotton fibers of his t-shirt.  
  
"We're going to be okay." He assured her. And with those words he was speaking not only of their present predicament, but of the two of them in general. They were going to be okay. Carter gently rubbed Abby's back and began to sing to her in a quiet voice:  
  
"Everybody needs a little time away/ I heard her say/ From each other/ Even lovers need a holiday/ Far away from each other/ Hold me now/ It's hard for me to say I'm sorry/ I just want you to stay/ And after all that you've been through/ I will make it up to you/ I promise you/ And after all that been said and done/ You're just a part of me I can't let go.  
  
"Couldn't stand to kept away/ Not for a day, from your body/ Wouldn't want to be swept away/ Not for a day, from the one that I love/ Hold me now/ It's hard for me to say I'm sorry/ I just want you to know/ Hold me now/ I really wanna tell you I'm sorry/ I could never let you go/ And after all that we've been through/ I will make it up to you/ I promise to/ And after all that been said and done/ You're just a part of me I can't let go."  
  
Abby lifted her head up just far enough to give Carter a soft and slow, but passionate kiss. Then she put her head back down and drifted off to sleep.  
  
**AUTHOR'S NOTE** I don't know...This kind of seems like an ending, but I'm not ready to end it yet. I hope it wasn't too gushy or mushy for you all, but I think they have some things that really need to be said to each other, so I made them say them. Let me know what you think. And let me know if you'll be at all disappointed if I continue...  
  
Special shout outs to my repeat reviewers. I feel like you're my friends even though I don't know you, because I see your names pop up in the reviews after almost every chapter. Your words mean a lot. I love you guys!!! Awwww... :) 


	6. Long Time Gone

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** This chapter's title was taken from a Dixie Chicks song, which Carter and Abby actually danced to in one of my favorite episodes, "One Can Only Hope."  
  
Oh, and I don't think I mentioned before that the title of this story was taken from a Backstreet Boys song. (I know I should be ashamed, but it just seemed to fit here.)  
  
Sorry for the long wait. I hope it was worth it. This chapter's one of my longer ones. It's starts of fuzzy and ends with a little suspense. Enjoy!!  
  
Chapter 6: Long Time Gone  
  
The morning light cascaded through the trees and gently awoke Abby. She lifted her head off of Carter's chest to look around for minute. The air around them was so still that it had a sort of eerie quality about it. She stretched to alleviate some of the aches in her neck and back from sleeping in an upright position with her back against a tree all night. Luckily, however, the soothing beating of Carter's heart had helped her to sleep peacefully. She contemplated whether she should wake him, but she decided against it. Knowing him, he had probably tried to stay awake as long as possible to make sure they were both safe, so he could use the rest.  
  
She wrapped her arm around the tree to steady herself and attempted to stand up. This was not an easy task, considering she had a non-functioning ankle. For about a second, she tried to put some weight on her bandaged foot, but when it caused a sharp pain to rapidly shoot up her leg, she reasoned that it wasn't a good idea.  
  
Once standing, the reality of her injury began to sink in for her once again. There was no way she could walk with only one functioning leg. She knew that Carter would offer to carry her, but he had a bad back, and they wouldn't make it very far if he had to carry her the whole way. If only she had some sort of...  
  
She looked around and spotted a long, straight branch lying on the ground. Three hops later, she reached it and bent down for a closer inspection. It looked pretty sturdy to her, so she picked it up and tried it out. "Not bad," she thought. "I never knew I was such a pioneer girl," she said out loud as she practiced walking with her makeshift crutch.  
  
"You look more like Kerry Weaver to me," Carter's voice behind her made her jump and almost lose her balance.  
  
"You shouldn't scare a cripple like that...How long have you been watching me?" she asked.  
  
"Since your rendition of the 'Bunny Hop' across the forest. Very impressive," he teased.  
  
"If both my feet worked, I would so kick your ass right now," she said, laughing as she hobbled her way back over to him.  
  
"I know. If both your feet worked, I wouldn't have said anything," he replied while standing and stretching.  
  
"So you only pick on the weak and vulnerable?" she asked, now standing very close to him.  
  
"You're anything but weak," he replied, then awkwardly leaned in to kiss her. It was only awkward for a second though. After their lips met it was instantly perfect. Pulling away slightly, Carter asked, "How did you sleep last night?"  
  
"Pretty well," Abby responded. "Pillow was a bit lumpy though," she added—poking at his ribs. Carter smiled. Abby leaned in for another kiss. As soon as their lips met this time, however, Abby lost her balance and began to fall. Carter caught her with one arm, as if they were dancing and he was dipping her.  
  
"That's what you get for picking on me," Carter smiled as he gave her a quick peck on the cheek and helped her back up. "So, miss pioneer girl, did you wrestle us up any breakfast?"  
  
Abby looked around, wondering for the first time how they were going to eat. Carter softened his expression and motioned to his black backpack. "It's all right. I have granola bars and water in here," he said as he bent down to zip it open.  
  
Abby smiled, "Who's the pioneer girl now?"  
  
"That's pioneer man to you, Miss," he corrected.  
  
* * * "So, what's the plan, pioneer man?" Abby asked as she finished her granola bar.  
  
"Well," Carter began and then took a sip of water, "Last time I was here, I was told that if we ever got separated and it wasn't safe to return, we should meet in a small village called Tinga. It's about ten miles east of here."  
  
"Okay," Abby answered as she grabbed the water bottle form him and took a swig. "Have you ever seen this place?"  
  
"Nope..."  
  
"Well, how do we know which way is west?"  
  
"Ah," Carter responded as he began to search through his bag for something. When he found what he was looking for, he held it up to show her.  
  
"Wow, a compass, now I'm really impressed."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"You were a boy scout, weren't you?" she asked with a smile.  
  
He grabbed the water bottle back from her. "Maybe I was and maybe I wasn't..." he answered with a grin.  
  
* * *  
  
"An Easter egg? Your dad put your mom's engagement ring in an Easter egg?" Abby asked as they made their way through the jungle. Abby was doing pretty well using her walking stick for support, but Carter was close by, of course, if she needed to lean on him.  
  
"A chocolate Easter egg...It was specially made."  
  
"Wow, that's original."  
  
"Don't get so excited. You know how their marriage turned out."  
  
"Well, at least it lasted longer than my parents'. I think Maggie told me once that my dad proposed to her at a baseball game. He kind of blurted it out at the seventh inning stretch."  
  
"Hmm...So...What about Richard?"  
  
"What about him?" Abby asked, hoping he wasn't asking her what she thought he was asking her.  
  
"How did Richard propose?"  
  
"How did we get on this subject anyway?" Abby asked, avoiding the question.  
  
"I don't know. It's a long walk. We're cut off from the rest of the world out here. Conversations wonder...So, back to Richard..."  
  
"All right," Abby gave in. "We were on spring break with some friends from college. Now, I wouldn't say we were exactly drunk..."  
  
"Oh, I can tell this is going to be good..."  
  
Abby laughed. "Anyway...he proposed on a pier at sunset..."  
  
"That sounds romantic..."  
  
"Then he fell off."  
  
"The pier?"  
  
"Yeah. He took a step backward and fell. I didn't get a chance to answer—until later in the ER." Carter began to laugh again. "It's not funny. He broke his leg," Abby continued. Carter continued to laugh anyway. Soon Abby joined in. "Okay, maybe it's a little funny..."  
  
After their laughter died down a bit, Abby asked, "So, did you ever propose to anyone?" As soon as the question left her lips, she realized what she had brought up. If she could take it back she would have, but it was too late.  
  
"Almost," Carter answered. "Just once...But I lost my nerve at the last minute."  
  
Maybe she was a glutton for punishment; she didn't know, but she asked anyway. "What happened?"  
  
"I don't know," Carter continued. He couldn't look at her. "It was something she said. Something about people never changing. It just didn't feel right."  
  
"That's not what I meant exactly," Carter stopped at her comment and finally turned to face her. Abby continued. "I just didn't want to feel like I had to change. But, I do believe now that people can change if they really want to. It has to be for themselves though." Carter was silent. Abby kept going. "I mean, look at you. When I first met you, you were a drug addict. How can I look at you and in the same breath say that people can't change?"  
  
"I'm sorry I tried to change you."  
  
"I'm just glad you care—"  
  
"Shh..." Carter cut her off. "Listen..." Heavy footsteps and rustling leaves could be heard in the distance. It sounded like a group of people. Carter scooped Abby up into his arms in one swift motion and made his way, as quietly as possible, off the main path and behind some thick bushes. They could just make out the camouflage garb and heavy black boots of the men swiftly walking passed. One dragged a woman along next to him. She was bound and gagged and had tears in her eyes.  
  
Suddenly one of the men held up a hand to stop and signaled for quiet. He looked around him, silently searching for something. Carter squeezed Abby's hand tightly. The man spotted Abby's walking stick and bent down to look at it. He called one of the other men over and said something to him in Congolese. They started looking around and one came dangerously close to where Carter and Abby were hiding. Carter held his breath. Abby closed her eyes.  
  
All at once, there was a rush of movement and a scream. Abby opened her eyes. She had no idea what had happened, but was too afraid to open her mouth to ask.  
  
After the men had been gone for at least five minutes, Abby whispered, "What happened?"  
  
"That woman just saved our lives. She ran off when they weren't looking, and they chased after her."  
  
Abby let out a deep breath and lay her head on Carter's shoulder. "I want to go home."  
  
**AUTHOR'S NOTE**  
  
By the way, in case there are any geography buffs out there, I made up the village of Tinga. Did I fool anyone? Does it sound Congolese, cause I have no clue... 


	7. Where the Heart Is

**Chapter 7: Where the Heart Is  
**  
_They say home is where the heart is. If the exception proves the rule, I guess that true_.   
-Dixie Chicks  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE   
So, yeah, I know it's been a while. Let's just say finals came and then I got sick, and, yeah, I know you don't need to hear excuses... So, I'm very sorry and I hope some people are still interested in this story. It's in the wrap up stages now, but there are still a few chapters to go. It depends on how inspiration strikes me... I have an idea for a new story that I want to start soon, but, for now, I'll be continuing with this one. Thanks for your patience. ;)

* * *

"So, how much further?" Abby asked, hobbling alongside Carter with her trusty crutch in hand.  
  
"I'm not sure. Hopefully there'll be a clearing or something when we reach the village," Carter replied, intently focused on the compass in his hand.  
  
"Did you hear that?" Abby stopped and whispered.  
  
"What?" Carter stopped too.  
  
"It's sounds like someone is crying...behind those trees over there." Abby began to slowly walk over.  
  
"Careful, Abby..." Carter warned.  
  
Abby peaked around the trees and spotted a little girl hiding. Her knees were pulled up to her chest and she had her head down. Her arms were tightly clutching her legs and she was sobbing softly. She looked no older than six and like a native of the Congo. Abby thought she'd try speaking some French to the little girl.  
  
"Escusez-moi," Abby began softly. The little girl looked up. Her eyes were filled with terror. "N'ayez pas peur. Je suis un docteur américain. {Do not be afraid. I am an American doctor}." Abby tried to assure the girl. The girl looked a little more trusting, but not much. "Où est ta maman? {Where is your mom?}" Abby asked.  
  
The little girl shook her head. "Je ne sais pas. {I don't know}," the girl replied. "Nous allions à Tinga, mais je l'ai perdue. {We were going to Tinga, but I lost her}," she continued with a sniffle.  
  
"Mon ami Jean et moi sont sur notre chemin à Tinga aussi. Aimez-vous aller avec nous? {My friend John and I are on our way to Tinga also. Would you like to go with us?}" Abby asked, offering her hand to the girl. The girl took Abby's hand and hugged her unexpectedly.  
  
"Oui, merci beaucoup. M'aiderez-vous à trouver ma maman ? {Yes, thank you very much. Will you help me find my mom?}" The little girl spoke into Abby's shirt.  
  
"Oui," Abby answered, crouching down to the little girl's eye level. "Je m'apelle Abby. Quel est ton nom?" she asked the girl.  
  
"Aurélie," the girl answered with a smile.

* * *

"Your French really is terrible. You totally butchered her name," Abby said to Carter as they were walking along a few hours later. Aurélie was fast asleep in Carter's arms.  
  
"Is that why she was giggling?" Carter asked, looking down at the little girl in his arms. "I thought it was because she liked me."  
  
"Well, I don't doubt that," Abby said with a smile.  
  
"So, it not Aura-Lee?" Carter asked.  
  
"No," Abby replied with a laugh. "It's pronounced aw-RAY-lee," Abby sounded out for him in perfect French.  
  
"Maybe I could just call her Ray..."

* * *

Just as the sun was beginning to set, Carter, Abby, and Aurélie came to a clearing in the woods. They kept walking slowly and they noticed that there were buildings and houses, indicating some sort of village. They looked around for a few minutes.  
  
"Is this it?" Abby asked.  
  
"I don't know. I think so," Carter replied as they continued walking. "Look over there," he pointed. "That looks like some sort of medical clinic. Maybe someone from the alliance is there."  
  
"It's worth a shot," Abby replied as they made their way toward the clinic. Just then, Aurélie began to stir in Carter's arms and looked out to see where they were.  
  
"Nous sommes ici, Aurélie. {We are here.}" Carter whispered to her.  
  
Upon entering the clinic, Abby and Carter noticed Gillian cleaning some cuts and bruises on a woman's face. Aurélie was the first to say anything. "Maman!" she screamed as she leapt out of Carter's arms and ran over to the patient, who was obviously her mother. The woman's eyes shot open at the sound of Aurélie's voice, and her face lit up as she ran to hug her little girl.  
  
"Oh, mon petite fille, my little girl. Merci, Dieu! Thank God you're all right..." the overjoyed mother cried as she held her daughter tightly.  
  
"Jean et Abby m'ont aide {John and Abby helped me}," Aurélie pointed to Carter and Abby. The woman approached the two of them while still holding her little girl close to her heart.  
  
"Bénissez-vous. God bless you. Merci beaucoup," the woman said with tears in her eyes.  
  
"De rien," Carter replied. "You saved our lives as well." Abby looked closer and finally recognized her as the bound and gagged woman who had escaped from the rebels so that she and Carter wouldn't be captured.  
  
"Oh, de rien," the woman echoed his previous sentiment and turned to whisper to her daughter privately.  
  
Just then, Gillian captured Carter and Abby in a fierce hug. "We thought you two were dead," she sobbed.  
  
"Nope, you can't get rid of us that easily," Carter replied with a smile. Gillian gave him a teasing punch in the shoulder, as Andrew and Gui entered the room to join in what was quickly becoming a group hug. 


	8. Lucky

**Chapter 8: Lucky  
**  
_AUTHOR'S NOTE _

_Hi, remember me? Yeah, I know it's been awhile, but I've been so busy. I work 8-5pm every day and I have a class from 6-9:45pm every night but Friday. On the weekends I crash. I can't wait till June 30th when my class will finally be over!!  
  
So, anyway, sorry for the wait. Here's a short chapter to show you that I haven't forgotten you all, and I'm still interested in continuing with this story...  
_

* * *

_Bienvenue à Paris!_ The sign overhead read as the five travelers entered the Parisian airport. "Ah, home sweet home," Gui sighed with a smile. "Are you sure you all can't stay on for a few days? I would be more than happy to give you the grand tour of Paris."  
  
They other four looked at each other. Carter was the first to respond. "We'd love to, but we're all anxious to get home ourselves." The others nodded in agreement.  
  
"But thank you so much for everything," Gillian said as she approached him for a hug.  
  
"Oh, think nothing of it," Gui responded. Abby too offered Gui a hug. She wasn't saying much, however. The whole experience the past couple of weeks had left her at a loss for words. She stood back while the others chatted and held Carter's hand firmly.  
  
Gui waved goodbye to his new friends, and after another round of hugs, Gillian also headed off to the gate where she would catch her next flight to Montreal.  
  
"I guess I should get going, too," Andrew finally spoke. One part of him was reluctant to leave, but the other part felt awkward, like a third wheel standing with Carter and Abby holding hands.  
  
Sensing that Abby might want to say her goodbyes to Andrew privately, Carter offered a firm handshake to Andrew and quickly excused himself to use the nearby restroom.  
  
"So, you're not on the same flight as us?" Abby asked, half staring at her shoes.  
  
"No," Andrew replied, "I have to catch my connection flight to San Francisco in JFK."  
  
"Ohhh..." Abby answered.  
  
"Andrew..." "Listen, Abby..."  
  
They both started at the same time and stopped with a smile.  
  
"You go first," Abby offered.  
  
"I just wanted to say that I wish you two all the best," he said as he approached Abby for a hug.  
  
Abby hugged him tightly in return. "Thank you so much," she said softly, "for everything," she added with a soft kiss on his cheek.  
  
"Carter is a lucky man," Andrew said with a smile. "You both are incredibly lucky. What you two have is incredible. I just hope I find it too someday."  
  
"You will," Abby answered. "She's out there somewhere, waiting for you."  
  
"Well," Andrew said after a beat. "I'd better hurry before I miss my plane," he added, glancing down at his watch.  
  
Abby smiled and wiped away a tear.  
  
"Goodbye, Abby."  
  
"Goodbye, Andrew," she answered as he turned around and disappeared into the crowd. Suddenly Abby felt Carter gentle hand on her shoulder.  
  
"You okay?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah," Abby replied and turned to him with a smile. "Let's go home."  
  
And with that, she leaned her head onto his shoulder, he wrapped his arm tightly around her, and they made their way to their gate.

* * *

"Excuse me. Excuse me, sir."  
  
Carter removed his headphones to answer the man across the aisle who was gently tapping him on the shoulder.  
  
"I'm sorry to bother you, but do you happen to have any aspirin? I have an awful headache," the man asked.  
  
"Umm," Carter glanced over to Abby, who was fast asleep on his shoulder and impeding his movement at the moment. "Yes, in my carry-on actually, but..." he glanced from Abby to the man in order to make him aware of his restricted range of motion at the moment.  
  
The man nodded, "Ohh..."  
  
"I can get some for you if you can get my carry-on out of the overhead compartment," Carter offered as he pointed above him. The man happily obliged, and Carter quickly retrieved the aspirin for him.  
  
"Thanks," the man said as he swallowed the aspirin with a swig of water. "Bill Sampson," he introduced himself.  
  
"John Carter," Carter responded with a handshake.  
  
"I am anxious to get home," Bill said. "My wife is due any day now and I am afraid I am going to miss it," he said with a smile.  
  
"Is it your first?" Carter asked.  
  
"Yup," the man replied.  
  
"Congratulations."  
  
"Thanks. I hated to have to take this business trip now, but what can you do? Do you, uh, have kids?" He motioned to he and Abby.  
  
Carter glanced over to make sure she was still asleep. "No, not yet," he said quietly.  
  
"Were you two on vacation in Paris?" Bill asked.  
  
"No," Carter responded with a smile and a shake of his head. "We were doing some volunteer work in Africa. We're both doctors."  
  
Bill smiled. "It must be nice working together."  
  
Carter returned the smile. "It is. So how long have you been married?"  
  
"It'll be two years in September. You?" he asked.  
  
Carter looked at Abby apprehensively. She looked sound asleep. "It was just a year in February," Carter said quietly.  
  
"Yeah..." Bill leaned back in his seat. "It isn't perfect, but I love her. I wouldn't change it for the world. Becca's my angel. I feel very lucky to have found her."  
  
"I know what you mean," Carter responded. "I feel very lucky, too."  
  
Abby smiled lightly as she shifted gently on Carter's shoulder. She had heard every word, and she couldn't agree more.


	9. Sweet Dreams

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**  
  
A little chapter... Sorry for the extremely long wait. I still have more if you're still interested. Let me know. Enjoy!!

* * *

**Chapter 9: Sweet Dreams  
**  
"Abby? Abby?" Carter called as he tried to gently stir Abby awake.  
  
"John?" she asked, a little disoriented. "Where are we?"  
  
"I had the cab stop at my place. I need to check something, then I'll take you home." Carter was a little worried since he had left everything (all of his cash and the deed to the house) with Kem when he left angrily and hurriedly. He had no idea if she was still around or if he even owned the house anymore.  
  
"No," Abby mumbled.  
  
"What? It's all right, Abby. I'll only be a second..."  
  
"No, I want to stay here. I need sleep...now," she said while yawning and stretching.  
  
"Okay," he answered as he quickly paid the driver and helped her inside.  
  
"Hello?" he called as he tentatively opened the front door.  
  
"What, do you have to let your mother know that you're home or something? Come on, Carter," Abby said, impatient with his hesitancy to enter the house. "I'm exhausted. Where are the bedroom suites in this castle?" she asked, heading toward the stairs.  
  
He led her upstairs and opened his bedroom door slowly. Everything seemed to be in order as he flicked on the light switch. He found his wallet, cash, and credit cards exactly where he had left them on the bed. Breathing a sigh of relief, he gathered everything up and returned it to his wallet.  
  
"Mmmm," Abby sighed. "I found my bed."  
  
Carter looked up to see Abby comfortably sprawled out across the other side of the king size bed.  
  
"This is _my_ bed, actually," he corrected her.  
  
"There are plenty of others in this house, aren't there? I'm sure you can find one..." she said without even lifting her head off the pillow.  
  
"Uh, I think I need a shower first," he remarked while discreetly sniffing himself. "Now that I think of it, I don't remember when I last took one."  
  
"Hmmm," a noise came from Abby. "You obviously never perfected the art of the Polish bath."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"You know, cleaning yourself off with a wet washcloth when a shower isn't available..."  
  
"That's new to me."  
  
"You live a sheltered life, John Carter."  
  
"Okay, you're rambling now. Would you like to go first?" Carter asked.  
  
"Are you implying that I smell?"  
  
"No, I'm just asking..."  
  
"It's okay, go," she commanded as she rolled over. "I'll keep your bed warm."  
  
"And smelling ripe, too," he added before running into the bathroom to avoid a flying pillow thrown by Abby.

* * *

A while later, Carter reentered his bedroom to find Abby asleep. As he moved closer to her, he realized that her hair was damp, and she was wearing an old t-shirt of his. She must have taken a shower in one of the other bathrooms while he had.  
  
He pulled the covers over her and bent down to kiss her cheek. He inhaled the scent of her shampoo and reveled in the sweet memories it brought him. As he turned to exit the room, she mumbled, "You always did take long, girly showers..."  
  
Carter smiled as he turned off the light. "Good night, Abby."  
  
"John?" she whispered.  
  
He turned around slowly, "Yeah?" he answered.  
  
"Stay."  
  
Carter knew that it had taken everything that she had to even ask. Slowly, he made his way over to the bed and crawled in beside her. Taking her in his arms, the two fell into the most peaceful slumber that either of them had experienced in over a year... 


	10. Things Left Unsaid

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

Hi, remember me? I know it's been extremely long, but I didn't drop off the face of the earth. I am still around, and still trying to hold on to my Carby faith, and still slowly plodding along with this story. I hope someone out there remembers it. Here's a re-cap just in case:

_Abby found out that Kem was lying to Carter about the baby being his, and she told him. Carter being the dumb jerk that he is didn't believe her. Abby went to the Congo. Carter found out the truth and followed her. He apologized and they got trapped in the woods, which gave them time to talk and work things out. They just recently came back to the US and the last chapter was just some witty half-asleep conversation at the mansion._

That's an extremely abridged version. Feel free to go back and refresh your memory if you want. I hope you enjoy the next installment. They still have a little way to go before they get to happily ever after...

* * *

**Chapter 10: Things Left Unsaid**

"Abby?"

"_What_?" Abby snapped. She was juggling fifteen patients, the lab and x-ray were backed up, and she hadn't sat down in over eight hours. If she heard one more complaint about how long a patient has been waiting or how she wasn't doing something correctly, she might scream.

Abby finally turned to see who had called for her, and Luka's concerned face stared back in her direction.

"I'm sorry," Abby apologized. "What is it, Luka?"

"Are you all right, Abby?" Luka asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just a little on edge today. I'll be okay."

"Well, someone in exam one is asking for you," Luka added with a smile before he walked off.

_Great, just what I need_, thought Abby, _another cranky patient to add to my list..._

Slowly entering exam one, she was confused by the darkness. There was no one around. What was Luka trying to pull? "Hello?" Abby called hesitantly. "Hello?"

A hand on her back, gentle though it was, caused her to gasp in fright. She spun around quickly to see Carter's face in the darkness.

"You scared the crap out of me," she whispered as he began to encircle her waist with his arms, and she placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Are you mad?" he asked.

"Nope," she answered before he leaned in for a kiss.

"Rough shift?" he asked, his arms still holding her close.

"Awful," she replied.

"Only a few hours to go. How about I cook dinner for us tonight? Meet me at my place around eight?"

Abby hesitated. "Can't we go out to eat?"

"But we haven't had a night _in_ for a while. Can't we just stay home? Please..." he gave her his best puppy dog eyes and pouty lip.

"All right," she rolled her eyes at him. "As long as you behave yourself."

"I'll try my best," he replied before leaning down to kiss her neck. Abby pulled away sharply.

Carter looked confused, so she awkwardly said, "I, uh, have to get back to work. She leaned in to quickly peck him on the cheek. "I'll see you tonight," she added before she left the room hurriedly.

Carter was left wondering what he had done wrong.

* * *

"Try and aim for the emesis basin, Mr. Tansey," Abby shouted to her patient in exam two. She looked down at her watch to make sure that it was true. Her shift was officially over, and nothing anyone could say or do would make her stay a moment longer.

"The projectile vomiting in two is all yours, Dr. Lewis," Abby said with a smile as she passed her chart along to Susan.

"Thanks," Susan replied with a fake smile.

"What are friends for? Also, I have a case of crabs in curtain one, and an explosive, watery diarrhea in curtain three for you."

"Yuck, don't you have any patients who aren't totally disgusting?"

"Nope, only the vile and revolting visited Dr. Lockhart today."

"At least your shift is over. My fun has just begun."

Abby smiled as she placed her stethoscope on her locker shelf, and traded her lab coat for her sweater and purse.

"So, you and Carter have any big plans for tonight?" Susan asked.

"He's cooking me dinner."

"Ooh, that sounds romantic..."

Abby half-smiled and shrugged her shoulders as she buttoned up her sweater.

"That's _not_ romantic?" Susan asked.

"No, it's great. It's just...I don't know..." Abby sighed as she plopped herself down on the couch in the lounge.

"What's wrong? You two are okay, aren't you? 'Cause it seemed like you were..."

"No, no. We're fine; it's just..."

"What?"

Abby motioned for Susan to come closer so that she wouldn't have to speak so loudly. Susan quickly came over to sit next to Abby.

"Carter's been wanting to...you know...have..."

"Sex?"

"Yeah, and..."

"You're not in the mood, right?" Susan cut in. "I know exactly how you feel. Chuck's been that way lately, too. I mean, between work and the baby, I'm exhausted by the end of the day, but he's still all over me. Sometimes I have to be like, lay off, buddy—'"

"That's not it. We, uh, haven't actually slept together since we got back together..."

"Really? Wow. I mean, that's fine. It's just...why not? It's been a couple of months, right?"

"Yeah..."

"And things are going okay, right?"

"Yeah, things are good," Abby answered sincerely.

"Then what's the problem?"

Abby sighed. "It's complicated. At first, I said that I wanted to take things slow, and Carter was fine with that. But, really, there is something else, and I think Carter's beginning to realize that."

"What is it?"

"I, uh, should probably talk to Carter about it first. Sorry..."

"No, you're right. You should. _Tonight_. You've gone through too much this time to start drifting apart again because of more things left unsaid."

"You're right." Abby nodded her head. "I'll talk to him tonight," she assured her as she got up. "Thanks for listening," she added before she moved towards the door.

"Abby?" Susan called after her friend. Abby turned back to face her. "He loves you. Whatever it is, I'm sure he'll understand."

"Thanks, Susan," Abby said as she walked out the door.

* * *

"Hello, Dr. Lockhart," Henry greeted Abby at the door to the Carter home. "May I take your sweater?"

"Um, yes, thank you," Abby answered. She wasn't used to being waited on like this. "Where is John?"

"Dr. Carter asked that you wait here in the foyer while he finishes up with the dinner. He should only be a few minutes."

"Okay, thank you." Abby was wondering what all of this was about. She wasn't really in the mood for something fancy after the long day that she'd just had. She just wanted to have a quiet, relaxing dinner.

Abby slowly circled the foyer of the Carter mansion with her eyes. Although his family's wealth never mattered to her, she still never quite got over how much money one family could actually have. A portrait of Millicent Carter adorned one of the walls. She moved closer to get a better look. She had an almost regal look about her. And yet, Abby remembered a soft gentle side of her as well. The last time Abby had seen her, at a charity fundraiser for a new symphony hall, she was like any old woman, asking her grandson to help her with things that were becoming too much for her in her old age.

She moved on to see the next portrait. It was of two young boys, one of which was almost unmistakably Carter. The other must be Bobby, she guessed. How awful it must have been for him to lose a brother at such a young age. Abby wasn't sure what she'd do if something happened to Eric, although she had gotten an awful taste of that feeling about a year and a half ago.

Still walking, now down a hallway that led to she-wasn't-quite-sure-where, she spotted a portrait of John Carter, Sr. She had only met Carter's grandfather once, but she often wished that she had gotten to know him better before he died. She only had one short conversation with him, but through that small exchange, she'd gotten the sense that he had been a very kind and down-to-earth man.

Amidst her thoughts, she heard footsteps, but she didn't turn around. She knew who they belonged to. Carter came up behind her, wrapped his arms around her shoulders, and planted a kiss on her right cheek.

"I thought maybe you got lost," he said while still holding on to her. He buried his face in her hair to breathe in her beautiful scent.

She brought her hand up to stroke his arm. "Nope, I was just strolling through your art gallery here."

"Hmm," he replied. "I think he would have liked you..."

"Who?" Abby replied, turning around and feeling relieved that he was wearing a sweatshirt and jeans and that he wasn't dressed formally.

"My grandfather," he replied as he nodded toward the portrait.

"What makes you say that?"

"Just a feeling....Shall we?" He offered his arm to escort her to the dinner that he had prepared. She graciously accepted.

* * *

"Close your eyes," Carter whispered in Abby's ear as they rounded the corner to the living room.

"Okay..." she replied and did as he requested. He guided her with his arm around the corner and into the room. It felt warm to Abby and she could smell the dinner, too.

"It doesn't smell too bad. Are you sure you cooked?" she asked with a smile.

"Ha, ha," Carter fake-laughed. "Might I remind you that you have your eyes closed, and I could lead you into a wall at any moment?"

"Sorry," she said while trying to hide her smile.

"Okay," said Carter. "Open your eyes."

* * *

Carter had planned the most romantic dinner that Abby had ever seen. The food was all set up like an indoor picnic in front of a roaring fire in the fireplace. It wasn't exactly gourmet cuisine, but it tasted wonderful and the setting couldn't have been more perfect. After they had both eaten, Carter cleaned the plates away so that they could spread out on the blanket. Carter lay down with his head propped up on some large, soft throw pillows, and Abby curled up next to him, laying her head on his chest. It was the most wonderful way to end a very long and stressful day.

"Thank you so much. I really needed this," Abby said as she lifted her head to face him.

"You're welcome," Carter replied as he leaned in to give her a short, sweet kiss. Then he pushed some hair behind her ear to get a better look at her face. "I would do anything for you..." He leaned in to give her another kiss—this one a little longer and more passionate than the last. As the kiss deepened, he moved his hand around her back and started to caress the soft skin under her shirt. Abby abruptly pulled away from his touch.

"I'm sorry," she said quickly.

"What's wrong?" he asked. "I know you wanted to take things slow, and I thought we were. We haven't done much more than kiss in the past few months. But, Abby," he took her hand and gently caressed the back of it with his thumb, "I miss you." Looking in his eyes, she knew what he meant by this.

"I know," Abby replied slowly. "I miss you too, but..."

"But, what, Abby? Do you still not trust me?"

"It's not that, it's just..."

"What?"

"I want you to get tested."


End file.
